Personal: Age 46. Born in New York City. South Florida resident since 1995.

Education: Currently attending Palm Beach Community College.

Family: Married to the Rev. William "Chip" Stokes, rector at St. Paul's. Children: Erin Potter, 27; Kerry Pacciano, 27; John Stokes, 22; and Richard Stokes, 18.

Q. What is new in your work lately?

A. I lead the children's chapel on Sunday mornings. I recently designed a multimedia worship experience for the children, and we are now using that weekly. Small children attend this while the first part of the adult and youth service is going on in the church. We also have a fully staffed nursery and a Christian education program. I recently helped lead two pilgrimages to Canterbury, England for the teenagers of St. Paul's.

Q. A distinctive feature of your religion?

A. I appreciate the Episcopal Church because it is an open and thinking church. We are comfortable with the gray areas. Uncertainty is not a problem; it reminds us that God is God and we are not.

Q. How did you get into your vocation?

A. I started attending the Episcopal Church with Chip when I was 16. My call has grown from that experience. I feel called as an active layperson within the church.

Q. What's the one most mistaken impression about your faith?

A. That the church is not spiritual. I hear that so often. Somehow, people set "religion" and "spirituality" against each other. In my view, religion is a way by which one's spirituality is organized and finds shape.

Q. If you couldn't be a minister, what would you be?

A. I will always be a minister. I'm in school and have serious thoughts about becoming a nurse. So my ministry would be nursing. I hope I can complete the educational requirements to do this before I need a nurse myself.

Q. What's religion for, in 25 words or less?

A. Religions provide people a means of responding to the revelation in an organized way.

Q. What do you do to relax?

A. I love to cook for my family and friends and for big church suppers. I enjoy having people sit at the table with good food and friends and share a meal.

Q. Favorite pastime?

A. I love to go out adventuring with Chip, looking for new things to see and learn.

Q. Favorite vacation spot?

A. England. I love the history, the buildings, the feel of everything.

Q. Favorite music?

A I love country, classical, oldies and big band.

Q. Do you have a hero?

A. I guess all those parents who work hard every day to bring up their kids in this crazy and confusing world.

Q. Favorite TV shows?

A. The West Wing and M*A*S*H.

Q. Favorite film(s)?

A. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Q. Something that only your best friends know about you?

A. You must not understand women if you're asking that question!

Q. What one thing would you change about yourself?

A. I always wanted to be taller. It would be a great way to redistribute weight.

Q. What person in history would you like most to meet?

A. Perhaps it seems cliched, but I would have loved to meet Jesus. I grew up as a Christian. But Jesus didn't become really interesting for me until I came to see just how radical he was, and especially the passion and compassion he had for all people.

Q. Have you ever doubted your faith?

A. I grew up in the Catholic Church and went to Catholic school for 11 years, when it was going through so much change following Vatican II. The change was not wrong, but as a kid it was hard for me to understand. I thought that if the adults don't get it, then something must be wrong with all of this.

Q. How was that doubt resolved?

A. Someone asked me 20 years later what I believed. That sent me on my own journey to discover what my faith was all about.

Do you know someone we should profile? Tell Religion Editor James D. Davis at 954-356-4730 or jdavis@sun-sentinel.com.